Grace's Birth Story

Well, here I was - January 25th - 40 weeks, 1 day!  I was due yesterday but Baby Girl didn't get that memo!  However, I was really happy this morning for 2 reasons - the Daniel Fast was over so I could have coffee and we had Dominic Russo in the house and we knew he was going to preach the paint off the walls!  I couldn't wait to get to church!

However, I started having very small, not even hard contractions as I started getting ready.... they weren't hard or strong like the Braxton Hick contractions I had been having.  They felt different and I was having them in the morning and the "false labor" ones I was having always happened at night... so, I had this little feeling that "something" might be having but my intuition had been wrong for over a week so I felt that I shouldn't trust myself this time.   Brendon asked if he should put my bag in the car but I was so tired of being disappointed, I said "No."  After he left I just had this feeling that I should so I did after all.

I went to church and 1st service was okay - I was wondering if I was really in labor... they were regular but not hurting but a little in my back which was different from the BH contractions.  By the time of the 2nd service, they were strong, starting to hurt and regular.  I actually started timing them in church... Brendon asked what I was doing:)  By the time of 3rd service, they hurt and I had to go to Brendon's office and text him it was time to go.  

It was so weird talking to people between services and people asking when I was due, or how I was feeling, or when was this baby coming and I thought in my head, "if you only knew I was in labor RIGHT NOW!"  However, I do not like to be the center of attention and I just wanted this to be a private manner so I kept very quiet.  

I was nervous because I had tested positive for the group strep and I knew I needed antibiotics 4 hours prior to birth so I didn't want to get to the hospital too late yet I felt terrible that we had this awesome guest speaker we were supposed to take to lunch and to the airport but Brendon couldn't spend the afternoon with him.

There were a few staff members and elders in the offices and I told them I was in labor- they were so happy and beside themselves... Ruben walked me out to my car and I remember walking out the front door of church and walking right past Daniel and he looked at me and I looked at him and I didn't know what to do... should I tell him or should I just keep on walking? I didn't want him to worry or stress yet I just wanted to kiss his little face and give him one last hug... I decided to just keep walking.

Brendon asked me if he could stop and get something to eat - we went to Hot Bagels and to the bank to get some cash then to the hospital.  Brendon dropped me off at the front and I told them I needed to be admitted into maternity - they were totally confused.... they were like "who do you want to see in maternity?"   I was like, "No!  I want to be admitted."  They were like.... ummmm, okay... most people don't come walking in here looking like you and in labor!  I was like, "yeah... well, I was at church and went into labor... haha!"

They wheelchaired me through the ER and I ran into a friend who had just had her baby on Monday but her back was in excruciating pain.

We got to the nurse's station at 1:30 and I probably got to triage at 2 then in my L&D room at 2:30.  I decided around 3 or 3:30 to get an epidural.  I was doing well with contractions... focusing and breathing and the nurse (Gia) was massaging my lower back ....in triage, I was dilated to 3cm with bulging membranes... so I didn't know where I was.  

Brendon had his dress shoes on and he said they were really uncomfortable so Mike C went to our house to get this sneakers and dropped them off at the hospital.  Apparently, when Brendon went downstairs to get his shoes, the lady next to me was screaming and Brendon walked back in the room and STRONGLY ENCOURAGED me to get an epidural.

He just said that he couldn't handle that so I got the epidural and all of the focusing and concentrating was over - it was smooth sailing - just got to lay in bed and relax!  Talk to my husband, talk to the incredible nurse team and rest!  Epidurals are truly a glorious thing!

We waited for my doctor to deliver another baby then it was my turn.... she came in and I was dilated to 9cm... she broke my water and there was meconium in it!

The doctor walked out of the room and I saw more people walking in - basically it was the neonatology team - they were expecting a sick baby.... not only did I test positive for Group B Strep but now there was meconium in the water.  They told me that they were going to try to get her not to cry as they didn't want her to swallow water so if I didn't hear any cries when she came out not to worry!

I started praying.... Praying for a miracle!  God, please let my baby be okay!  Oh God!



They asked me to do a practice push and they were like, "Wow!  The next push she is coming!"  I thought they were being just being cute but no.... she came flying out!  She came out screaming!  However, she looked and responded great and got a 9.9 Apgar score!!!  Absolutely no talk of her being taken away from me - as a matter of fact, they did all observation and her exams while she was on my chest!  They let her have skin to skin for over an hour - they didn't even weigh her - it was just all bonding!

You can tell by my face that I was looking at her just hoping that she looked healthy!

I finally got her... a healthy baby! The below picture my eyes are just filled with tears because I could not stop whispering, "Thank you, Jesus, that she is okay... thank you!"

Grace Anne Wilson 

8lb, 12 oz

21.25" long

5:23PM

Her first bath!

What I remember most about the birth is how happy our room was - I literally had the most amazing nurses and doctors in my room - they were working like such a team and loving on each other and loving on Brendon and I - there was so much joy in the room!  There was a lot of love in the room - there was so many smiles and laughter among all of us!  I just remember thinking, I just had the most amazing, perfect and beautiful birth!  I loved every minute of it!

As soon as she was born, my sweet doctor said, "oh my gosh!  This baby is HUUUUUUUUUUUGE!"  So they all played the "guess the weight" of the baby game  - the neonatology nurse won!  I was like seriously?  She is that big - they were like, "oh yea!"  I told them my other two were only 7.5 pounds and asked how big this one  was- they said.... girlfriend, she has got to be close to 9 pounds - I almost fainted when they told me that!  haha!

Emily who was watching our kids brought them by the hospital to meet their new sister!  She said Daniel went in the bathroom to do his hair, put cologne on and said he had to look his best for meeting her!  As soon as he walked into the room, he totally melted and fell head over heels in love!  I wonder if this is how he will fall for his future wife!

The moment she had waited for, dreamed about and talked non-stop about!  Holding and kissing her baby sister!

Daniel picked the big dog out for his baby sister and Katelyn chose the owl!

One of my favorite pediatricians from the CHOP group - Dr. Thorpe came to see her the next morning!

I just remembering feeling so wonderful and so happy and the visitors started rolling in....

Daddy checking his girl!

Becky photographing her....

There was supposed to be this HUGE snowstorm coming into town so Brendon and I decided we really wanted to go home on Monday night and not be stuck in the hospital so we asked to be discharged early and that is when this story took a turn for the worse....